Aus News 19: Dying woman with rare blood disease needs drugs worth 40k

A newlywed lady, Jenny Sturrock, 29, is suffering from a rare blood disease which prevents her to have children. She has to rely on three litres of blood transfusion every month to replenish her blood supply. The doctor told her that she may put herself and her baby on risk if she wants to have children, unless she goes for the treatment with a drug called Soliris, which is the world's most expensive drug, costing around $40,000 per month. As Jenny always dreams to have her own children, she appealed to the Prime Minister, Ms. Gillard, pleading her to save her life by financing her treatment. Ms Gillard has promised to look into her plight and said that government has a program of supporting lifesaving drugs on the basis of technical and expert advice.

Comment:
Some may easily argue that it's not worth to put such a lump sum of money(tax revenue) on a person. This sounds reasonable, and the amount could have actually been put on more productive projects. However, if this amount could save a life and make her life better, don't you think the people of the country should feel proud for saving a life? For me, it shouldn't be seen as a waste of money, but an indirect way of raising fund to save a life. Perhaps the government should also come out with better policy or program to solve this kind of inconvenience in order to ensure that the welfare of its people is guaranteed.